Hermès Exhibits 175 Years Of Luxury Leather At The Royal Academy of Arts

by Daniel Reynolds · May 11, 2012

Has it really been 175 years, Hermès? The fashion house has saddled up for a birthday exhibition of its iconic leather goods, now on view at The Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Spread across 12 rooms, the collection traces the history of the company, which began as a Parisian harness workshop servicing European noblemen. Since then, its leather goods have become synonymous with luxury, and visitors to the Academy can actually see artisans at work creating the much-coveted Kelly and Birkin bags.